A "public company" or "publicly traded company" is a company whose shares are traded on a stock exchange like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the NASDAQ, or the Toronto Stock Exchanges (TSX). Individuals can buy and sell shares in a publicly traded company. Public companies are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commision and must publish annual reports and other financial filings.
REMINDER: Many brands and companies are actually owned by larger publicly traded companies. For example, Calvin Klein is a subsidiary owned by PVH, a public company.
Ways to research a publicly traded company: